News

Another snow storm in Central Plains brings more relief to drought

A Nebraska Sandhills rancher says this week’s massive winter storm is a step closer to busting the multiyear drought.

“I would say where we’re at the 16-to-17-inch mark.”

Gina Pospichal of Chambers tells Brownfield heavy snow began Monday night and some areas received more than two feet by Tuesday midday. “Everybody is hoping that it doesn’t start blowing and blow that off into shelter belts and ditches where it’s not needed.  It’s interesting to see already how the soil is reacting and after our last storm it soaked it right up.”

She says hay supplies are extremely tight and expensive. “We weren’t expecting two storms so early in the season.  We only have one or none before the new year. At night, we’re always penciling out how those changes what the long run goes.”

Posphical says she typically plans for extreme cold and winter storms in March and in April and is concerned that feed supplies might be short by then.